


The Lighthouse in the Night

by StealtheRest



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-12 11:14:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28759416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StealtheRest/pseuds/StealtheRest
Summary: After the death of her sister, Donna becomes the guardian of her niece.
Relationships: Josh Lyman/Donna Moss
Comments: 25
Kudos: 94





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! So I'm not always the biggest fan of kid!fics (although Ballots and Bows by electric_eel is one of my favorite fics) but I had this idea in my head and it just wouldn't go away. I hope this is somewhat enjoyable and not too cheesy. It will definitely be multiple chapters!

“Josh”

“Hold on.”

“Josh”

“Hold on.”

“Josh!” Donna slammed her hand against the wall.

He looked up at her. She was shaking. Her eyes were red and she looked so…guilty? 

“Donna?”

“I-“ she gulped. “I have to go back to Wisconsin.”

“Okay,” he started slowly. 

“Why do you have to go back to Wisconsin.”

“I-“ she started again, but this time with tears starting to stream down her face. 

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.” Josh, who couldn’t handle any amount of Donna in distress, tried to maneuver her to the visitors seat in his office, but when he approached her she backed away.

“Donna it’s okay. I can give you time off.”

“I can’t-”

“Donna, please tell me what’s wrong, you’re scaring me.”

“I don’t need time off, Josh. I’m so sorry but I have go back to Wisconsin. Permanently.” 

Josh could actually feel his heart hit the ground. Things were going so well here. The president had just won reelection. She was no longer seeing what’s his name, and they danced the night away at all nine of the inaugural balls. He genuinely couldn’t believe that she’d want to leave. 

“Donna, seriously, what’s going on?”

“It’s my sister,” she choked out. 

She took a deep breath and finally looked up at him. 

“She died.”

“Oh my god, Donna, I’m so sorry.” Josh walked over to her and rubbed his hands down her arms. 

To be honest, Donna didn’t talk about her family that much. He knew she had a mother and a father that she spoke to occasionally, and an older sister that she was close to growing up but grew apart from once Donna moved to DC. 

Josh was finally able to walk Donna to the chair to sit in. He sat in the other one and grabbed her hands. 

“What happened?” 

“She had a headache all day and collapsed at work. They said it was like a brain aneurysm or something.” Donna was looking down, toying with Josh’s hands. 

“Donna,” he signed, “I’m so, so sorry.”

Josh knew better than most what the loss of a sibling could do. 

“Why do you want to move back there?”

“Josh, she had a daughter.”

She took a deep breath. 

“She had a daughter and her name is Nora and she’s not even one yet.” Josh waited for Donna to continue. 

“Josh, she left me guardianship of Nora.” 

Josh froze. 

“You mean…you’re..you’re her…”

“I’m her legal guardian now.” 

“She’s yours now?”

“Yes, Josh. She’s mine.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't want to spend too much time on Donna actually deciding to come back to DC, so I tried my best to wrap that part of this story up in this chapter.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

“She kinda looks like you.”

“You think?”

Josh and Donna stood over Nora’s crib. Josh was somehow able to convince Donna (and Leo) to let him accompany her to Wisconsin for her sister’s funeral. Truthfully, Josh was hoping to convince Donna to come back to DC with him.

She let out a sigh and moved away from the crib, walking towards the large windows in the room. 

Josh had been pleasantly surprised by Donna’s family, who actually turned out to be democrats. Through their own grief, Donna’s parents had been so welcoming to Josh. 

She speaks so highly of you. I’m so glad she has you. 

He and Donna had spent the last few days working out the legality of Donna’s new situation, in which Josh’s skills as a lawyer actually came in handy. 

All the paperwork was done and Nora was officially in Donna’s custody. 

So here they were, Josh and Donna, trying to figure out what exactly to do next.

Donna had her arms wrapped protectively around herself, staring out the window with her back to Josh. 

He walked up behind her and gently rubbed her back. 

“You don’t have to do this alone, you know.”

“Josh-“

“I mean it Donna. You’ve made a life in DC. You have friends who can help you. You have me-“ Josh cut himself off before he could complete his thought. 

“Josh, I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing here. My sister just died. All of a sudden I’m supposed to raise her baby. I don’t know how to be a mother and I don’t want to leave but I’m just so-“ she cut off with a sob, not even realizing that tears had begun to stream down her face. 

Josh wrapped her up in his arms. 

“Donna,” his voice was soft, “you are not alone. You don’t know what you’re doing yet but that doesn’t mean you aren’t going to learn. Jesus, Donna you hired yourself as my assistant and helped President Bartlet become elected president. You’re so capable and I know you can do this.” 

Josh kept his voice soft, but even Donna could hear the pleading tone of his words. 

She looked up at him, and at the baby who was still sleeping in her crib. 

She buried her head Josh’s neck and he swayed them slightly.

It might be reckless, it might be absurd, but this overwhelming feeling swept over Donna. 

She didn’t want to stay in Wisconsin.

She didn’t want to start over.

She didn’t want to leave her job.

And she didn’t want to leave Josh.

“Okay.” 

Josh leaned back from her far enough to look into her eyes.

“Okay?”

“Okay. I’ll come back to DC.”

Josh wrapped her up in his arms again, relief washing through him. 

“I’m not going to let you go through this alone.”

“Promise?” Her voice sounded weak and scared.

“Promise.”


	3. Chapter 3

“So where exactly is Donna staying now?”

Josh and Donna had just arrived back in DC, and while this particular phone conversation was necessary, he was definitely dreading it. 

“See, CJ, here’s the thing,” He took a deep breath and started pacing back and forth through his living room. “Donna’s roommate, Natalie, wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea of a baby living with them so Donna needs to look for a new apartment. And well…you see…I kinda told her that in the meantime-“

“I’m sorry, is Donna living with you?!” CJ’s voice screeched through the phone. 

“What was I supposed to do CJ, let her be homeless?” Josh was becoming agitated, even though he expected this exact conversation. 

“Listen,” CJ took a breath, “I know you care about her, and no I wouldn’t expect you to leave her out on the street, but you have to look at this from my perspective. I wish I could take my press secretary hat off and just be your friend but we both know I can’t. You know how this is going to look.”

Josh sighed, he knew she was right.

“What do you want me to do?”

There was a long silence on the phone until CJ spoke, “for now, let’s leave things how they are. You’re doing a nice thing and if the press gets ahold of this, I’ll handle it.”

“Thank you,” Josh’s body actually sagged with relief. “This is only temporary CJ. Just until she can find a new place to live.’’

“I know. I’ll talk to Leo tomorrow.”

He hung up with CJ, going to tell Donna about their conversation with a slight bounce in his step.

CJ, on the other hand, hung up the phone muttering, “temporary my ass.”

***   
“Formula?”

“Check.”

“Diapers?”

“Check.” 

“Okay, I think that’s it.”

Josh and Donna had spent the last of their days off shopping. They took Nora along as they went to buy everything a baby might need that they didn’t already have. While they did take some of Nora’s stuff from Wisconsin, they were still lacking in the baby supplies department. 

They were both wide-eyed and overwhelmed, realizing exactly how much stuff a six-month-old really needed. 

They were headed to the check out line when an old lady stopped them in their tracks. 

“Oh, how adorable!” She cooed, looking at the baby, who smiled in return. 

“How old is she?”

“Six months,” Donna responded, smiling a little. 

“Well she’s simply delightful. And you two make such a cute couple.”

“Oh we’re not-“

“He’s not my-“ 

They both started sputtering out a correction for the lady’s misunderstanding, but quickly realized they didn’t really know what to say.

“Thank you.” Donna said, a tight smile now gracing her face. 

She looked over at Josh who had become distracted by some sports magazine. She then looked down at the baby. Her heart lurched a little. Donna wasn’t oblivious to her feelings for Josh. In fact, after her fairytale-esque night she was downright certain. She knew she loved him. She had absolutely no idea of his feelings for her.

She also knew, however, that she basically just became a mother, had absolutely no idea what she was doing, and Josh was certainly not Nora’s father. 

She took a deep breath and sighed, focusing her attention back on the baby, storing these thoughts away for another time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise there will be more of the actual plot soon, I just felt this chapter was necessary :)

“Have you heard from Sam?”

“Yeah apparently the Bartlet clown show arrived.”

“Oh no, that bad?”

“Let’s just say I’m glad we’re here and not taking meetings with communists like Carol did.”

“Wait what?!” 

Josh and Donna, having missed a few days of work to deal with, well everything, stayed behind in DC while the rest of the senior staff went to help Sam’s congressional campaign. 

Donna put her feet up on Josh’s desk, checking her phone again.

“I’m sure Nora’s fine, Donna.”

“I know, and it’s not that I don’t trust your mom, I’m just worried. First she’s taken away from everyone and everything she’s ever known and now we leave her with a person who’s a stranger to her and…I’m just worried.” 

“I know.” Josh gently squeezed her shin, hoping to calm Donna’s nerves. 

Rebecca Lyman was more than amused by the phone call she received from her son, telling her that Donna was now in charge of a baby and they were living in his apartment. She immediately made arrangements to visit, one because she missed her son, and two, because she needed this for herself. 

She had seen the way Donna fell apart when Josh was shot. Upon arriving in DC that horrible night, she felt so alone, no other family there to comfort her, or to even understand a little of what she was feeling. But there was Donna, sitting in a chair next to Josh’s bed, looking as broken and disheveled as Ruth felt. 

Ruth knew, after that. She knew that Donna wasn’t “just” Josh’s assistant. She also knew that her boy would never date a subordinate. He had too much loyalty to the job, and too much respect for Donna to do that. 

So when Ruth got the call from Josh, she immediately rushed to DC feeling as motherly and protective for Donna as she does for Josh. 

Donna, for her part, was behaving just like a new mother would and was relieved that she wasn’t leaving Nora with someone that neither of them knew. Her neuroses had, unsurprisingly, risen to a new level of Donna-ness. 

As Donna got up to go back to her cubical, she spotted a picture she had seen a thousand times. She picked up the frame.

It was a faded photo of a young girl with a huge smile hugging a toddler. The children had matching dimples and curly hair. 

Donna’s heart jumped. 

She hadn’t had time to mourn her sister, not really. She was too busy taking care of a baby and learning how to be a parent. 

But here, looking at a picture of a tiny Josh and his sister, knowing what was to come in the not-so-distant future from when the photograph was taken, the grief set in. 

Of course it would happen now, in the middle of a work day in the middle of Josh’s office. 

Of course it would happen with Josh’s door wide open, the bullpen crowded with staffers. 

Of course it would happen when Josh had gotten up to give one of the staffers something, leaving Donna standing alone in his office. 

She felt her eyes clouding with tears and blinked furiously to stop herself from completely letting go. 

Perhaps her focus on keeping herself together is why she didn’t notice Josh come back into his office.

“Donna what are you-“

He stopped when he saw the picture he was holding. 

He walked up behind her and gently put his hands on her shoulders.

“Donna?”

“I’m so sorry Josh!” She exclaimed, turning around and burying her head in his neck. 

“You’re sorry?” Josh gently rubbed her back.

“I’m so sorry you lost your sister.” She was sobbing now. It was a grief Donna wished she didn’t understand so well. 

Josh didn’t verbally respond to her. He just held her tightly and gently rocked her in his arms until she lifted her head, wiped her eyes with a tissue, and went back to work.


	5. Chapter 5

“We really can’t thank you for all you’ve done for us, Mrs. Lyman.”

“Donna, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Ruth?” She responded with a slight laugh. 

“Sorry.” 

Donna adjusted Nora in her arms. 

“Josh, may I have a word?”

Donna walked into Josh’s guest room, which had been turned into Donna’s room / Nora’s nursery, to give Josh and his mother some space and to give Nora a bath.

“Josh, what exactly are the two of you doing?”

“Mom,” Josh let out an exasperated sigh. 

“I thought you liked Donna.”

“Are you kidding me?” She exclaimed. “I love Donna like she’s my own. But Josh, I mean look around.” She gestured to the various baby toys that are laying around Josh’s living room.

“I mean she’s living here with a baby. The two of you are basically playing house, and you’re trying to convince me and yourselves that this is some platonic relationship?”

“Mom,” Josh sighed again and swiped a hand down his face. 

“Listen. I love you, and I love her, sometimes more than you,”

Josh rolled his eyes and let out a laugh at his mother’s words.

“But it’s clear you’re in love with her.”

Josh tried to protest but Ruth wouldn’t let him.

“What’s also clear is she’s in love with you. So get your head out of your ass and figure this out.” 

***

“Your mom get out okay?”

Donna was currently washing a squealing Nora. Her shirt was covered in water from Nora’s splashing. Josh found the sight quite adorable and his heart picked up its pace.

“Yeah she’s fine.”

Donna lifted Nora out of the bath and began to dry her off. 

“Want Italian for dinner tonight?” Josh asked. 

Donna placed Nora down on her towel and sat down next to Josh.

“I think I should start looking for my own place.”

“What?! Donna you’ve only been here for like two weeks!”

“I don’t want to be a burden-“

“Donna-“

“I can’t expect you to take care of us Josh-“

“Donna.” He said firmly and picked up her hand.

“You, Donnatella Moss, are not a burden.”

Donna looked up at him and playfully rolled her eyes.

“I told you, you’re staying here until you figure out a safe place for you and Nora to live. A baby was literally thrust into your life and now you have to figure out how to care for her and raise her. I told you, you’re not doing this alone,” Josh spoke softly but looked her in the eyes and hoped against hope that she didn’t move out yet. 

“Okay,” she said with a small smile.

“Okay?” 

“Yeah. I’ll stay. For now.”

Josh smiled but tried not to let it show on his face just exactly how relieved he was to hear that.

“So, Italian tonight?”


	6. Chapter 6

Things had been going pretty well with Josh and Donna’s arrangement. Donna found a babysitter she trusted to watch Nora during the day, and Josh made sure she left at a reasonable hour to be home each night. The rest of the senior staff, although still somewhat confused about this arrangement, stopped questioning their living situation. It became somewhat of the status quo. 

“The sitter’s sick”

Josh had only been in his office for about a minute when his phone rang. 

“She’s sick?”

“Stomach bug.”

“That’s not good.”

“No.”

“So what are you going to do about Nora then?”

Josh continued to shuffle around his office, holding the phone to his hear. 

“I’m going to have to bring her in.”

And so that was how the senior staff met Nora Moss. 

Nora was wearing a tiny Bartlet for America onesie that Donna’s sister had picked up during the campaign. Nora’s head was tucked into Donna’s neck as they entered the bullpen. 

“Oh my god! Is that Nora?” Ginger came running over. 

Soon Nora and Donna were surrounded by many assistants and staffer, cooing over the baby.

“Donna she looks so much like you.”

Donna just laughed. She didn’t know how to react to that comment, a comment which she received a lot. Sure, Donna was aware that she and her sister shared a resemblance. They had the same blonde hair and blue eyes, but Donna never thought much about the resemblance her niece had towards her. That was until everyone else pointed it out. 

Still though, Donna just didn’t think of herself as Nora’s mother, and comments such as that made her stumble over her thoughts. 

***  
CJ fawned over the baby, trying to make her smile and promising to be her fun aunt who let her get away with anything she wanted. 

Leo briefly held Nora and gave Donna a pat on the back while saying, "you're doing good, kid."

Toby, unsurprisingly since he just had babies of his own, was a natural with Nora. He held her gently and his calming energy worked to not overwhelm the baby in an already overwhelming environment. 

“What’s it like?” 

“Hmm?” Donna had been lost in thought watching Toby hold Nora, noticing how much more natural he seemed at it than herself. 

“Becoming a mother,” Toby continued. 

“Oh I don’t…I’m not…she’s”

“Donna your sister died. And that’s tragic and heartbreaking, but she did. And she left you this baby, not to look after, but to raise.”

At Toby’s tone, Donna looked up into his eyes. 

“She needs a parent.”

“I can’t - I don’t know how to do that. I wasn’t prepared for this.”

“Believe me Donna, you’re never prepared for parenthood. Yes, you didn’t have nine months of mental preparation, but you still feel unprepared once the baby is born. Trust me.”

With his free hand he took one of Donna’s, gently holding it.

“You can do this Donna. And you have to.” 

Donna looked over at Nora, who had fallen asleep on Toby's chest. And that was that. That was the moment Donna stopped looking at Nora as her niece whom she had to take care of, but as her own.


End file.
